Asian Table Tennis Team Championships 2025: Inexperience costs India as Hong Kong ends men’s team medal run

India’s streak of three successive medals in the men’s team category of the Asian Table Tennis Championships came to an end on Sunday, as a young side led by Manav Thakkar went down 0-3 to Hong Kong (China) in the quarterfinal at the Kalinga Indoor Stadium.

With two of the three Indians making their team championship debut, the hosts – despite a vocal home crowd cheering them on – found the seasoned Hong Kong outfit too sharp and disciplined. While Hong Kong sealed a long-awaited medal, India will now feature in the fifth-to-eighth place playoffs.

National champion Manush Shah opened India’s campaign against veteran Wong Chun Ting but was outplayed by the 24-year-old’s precision and power. Wong’s placement and control on both flanks left the Indian southpaw little room to dictate rallies.

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Captain Manav then stepped in, facing a familiar opponent in the left-handed Chan Baldwin. In a gripping contest that went the distance, Manav’s aggressive intent produced several stunning rallies but also unforced errors at crucial junctures. His repeated misses on third-ball forehand topspins ultimately cost him the match.

Youngster Ankur Bhattacharjee, who had beaten Lam Siu Hang at the China Smash last month, began brightly and surged to a 9-5 lead in the second game after winning the first. But once Lam found his rhythm, the Hong Kong paddler reeled off six straight points to snatch momentum. Ankur’s inability to close out the third game proved decisive, as Lam’s forehand barrage sealed Hong Kong’s passage to the semifinals.

The focus now shifts to the women’s team, which begins its campaign late on Monday evening, with its quarterfinal opponent to be confirmed earlier in the day.

Published on Oct 12, 2025